Making our roads safer

Published: Thursday, August 1, 2013 at 3:50 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, August 1, 2013 at 3:50 p.m.

It is no secret that our roads and bridges are dangerous places for motorists to be.

Part of that danger is the result of substandard road and bridge conditions, symptoms of a rapidly deteriorating infrastructure that makes driving a hazard under even the best circumstances.

Much of our region lacks enough road lighting, meaning that at night, particularly during our frequent rains, it is difficult to see oncoming traffic.

Another part of the danger is self-inflicted.

Too many motorists drive without properly functioning equipment, such as turn signals and headlights.

Too many of us get behind the wheel while they are intoxicated, slowing their reaction times and creating a ticking time bomb that can kill them or any of the other motorists on the road with them.

And too many of us become preoccupied with texting, talking on a cell phone or even updating our personal social networking sights while we are driving.

Now, though, just like drinking and driving and texting and driving, getting onto social networking websites while you are behind the wheel is a crime.

The new law, which went into effect Thursday, establishes fines of $175 for the first offense and $500 for the second offense and beyond.

If staying safe, keeping your eyes on the road and fully devoting your attention to driving weren’t enough of an incentive to stay off of Facebook while you are driving, perhaps this new law will do the trick.

It is not a cure-all, of course.

It won’t keep everyone’s eyes on the road where they should be.

It is, however, one more tool at the disposal of police officers who are tasked with keeping all motorists safe.

And it is a great incentive to do what we ought to be doing anyway.

In a perfect world, perhaps, we would not need a law requiring us to watch the road, but so many of us each year fall victim to distracted driving that there clearly is a need.

Now, the challenge will become enforcing the new law.

Like other traffic laws, this one will be only as effective as our collective willingness to abide by it. And that willingness will be affected as we hear about and talk about people being ticketed for violating the new law.

Or, even better, it will be effective because people know about it and follow it because doing otherwise is a needless flirtation with danger.

<p>It is no secret that our roads and bridges are dangerous places for motorists to be.</p><p>Part of that danger is the result of substandard road and bridge conditions, symptoms of a rapidly deteriorating infrastructure that makes driving a hazard under even the best circumstances.</p><p>Much of our region lacks enough road lighting, meaning that at night, particularly during our frequent rains, it is difficult to see oncoming traffic.</p><p>Another part of the danger is self-inflicted.</p><p>Too many motorists drive without properly functioning equipment, such as turn signals and headlights.</p><p>Too many of us get behind the wheel while they are intoxicated, slowing their reaction times and creating a ticking time bomb that can kill them or any of the other motorists on the road with them.</p><p>And too many of us become preoccupied with texting, talking on a cell phone or even updating our personal social networking sights while we are driving.</p><p>Now, though, just like drinking and driving and texting and driving, getting onto social networking websites while you are behind the wheel is a crime.</p><p>The new law, which went into effect Thursday, establishes fines of $175 for the first offense and $500 for the second offense and beyond.</p><p>If staying safe, keeping your eyes on the road and fully devoting your attention to driving weren't enough of an incentive to stay off of Facebook while you are driving, perhaps this new law will do the trick.</p><p>It is not a cure-all, of course.</p><p>It won't keep everyone's eyes on the road where they should be.</p><p>It is, however, one more tool at the disposal of police officers who are tasked with keeping all motorists safe.</p><p>And it is a great incentive to do what we ought to be doing anyway.</p><p>In a perfect world, perhaps, we would not need a law requiring us to watch the road, but so many of us each year fall victim to distracted driving that there clearly is a need.</p><p>Now, the challenge will become enforcing the new law.</p><p>Like other traffic laws, this one will be only as effective as our collective willingness to abide by it. And that willingness will be affected as we hear about and talk about people being ticketed for violating the new law.</p><p>Or, even better, it will be effective because people know about it and follow it because doing otherwise is a needless flirtation with danger.</p><p>Editorials represent the opinions of</p><p>the newspaper, not of any individual.</p>